MELBOURNE List Manager Tim Lamb says the club is well placed heading into a busy Trade Period, with a focus on continuing to build its young core while remaining open to opportunities across both the trade and draft landscape.
The Demons currently hold selections 6 and 10 in this year’s AFL Draft, providing the club with two strong opportunities to add to its emerging group.
On our draft hand:
“We’re super excited as a club,” Lamb told AFL Trade Radio.
“6 and 10 are a great spot in this draft to sit. Historically, we’ve always been open to movement with our draft picks, so where they land on the actual draft night can change.
“But if nothing changes and we sit there at 6 and 10 in the open pool, we’re really excited with that.”
Lamb also confirmed the club was working through potential trade opportunities, including discussions with Brisbane regarding Will McLachlan and North Melbourne regarding Zane Duursma.
On Will McLachlan:
“Everyone enjoyed watching Will play when he got picked in the mid-season draft,” Lamb said.
“Every club in Victoria would have tracked Will’s development at Brisbane. He had a pretty serious quad injury this year but had some strong VFL form.
“He was also behind the best medium and small forward group in the competition at Brisbane.”
“We think he’s got some promise to develop his game moving forward.”
On Zane Duursma:
“We’ve put forward a few options, which haven’t got it across the line yet, but we’re working hard to try and facilitate that trade,” Lamb said.
“Zane’s got potential… he’s skillful, makes good decisions, is clean, can use the ball well and can score.” Lamb said.
On our youth stepping up:
Lamb said the club’s recent investment in youth had created an exciting platform for the future, with a host of young Demons taking important strides under Senior Coach Steven King in 2026.
“The growth of those young players is our biggest and most important element moving forward,” Lamb said.
“We think that’s where the future lies for us, as well as what we’re going to bring in this year.”
Koltyn Tholstrup, Matthew Jefferson, Latrelle Pickett, Xavier Lindsay, Caleb Windsor and Harvey Langford were among the players Lamb highlighted, alongside a number of younger players continuing to develop within the program.
“It’s pleasing when you see young guys that you invest heavily in at the draft come on and develop,” he said.
“Those boys got more opportunity this year and really stepped up. They do take a little bit of time, but we’re super excited with the way they’re tracking.”
